25/03/2017

Name of the Week: Scarlett

Origin:

Scarlett is now considered to be a nature name, tied to the deep red colour scarlet. However, as a given name, Scarlett was originally an adoption of the surname Scarlet/Scarlett.

The surname derives from the Old French escarlate "scarlet" referring to a rich cloth, often bright red in colour. The cloth was certainly in use from the late 12th century, which is when the surname is first dated from, and most likely denoted a person who was a dealer in this particular cloth.

By the 14th century, the 'scarlet' cloth had given its name to the colour scarlet.

Usage:

Scarlett's use as a given name from the 17th century. For the most part it was used as a middle name, where a family surname was used, though there are some cases where this family surname was used as a first name.

It was uncommon, however, and mostly masculine in use. The 1841 UK census lists 15 men named Scarlet/t (mostly in the East of England) and 1 woman. By 1861, there were 9 men listed with Scarlet/t as a first name and 1 woman.

Data from The Surname Atlas. Click to enlarge.

Data from the 1881 census shows a clear correlation between the areas where the surnames Scarlet and Scarlett were most common and those where the Scarlet(t) was used as a first or middle name.

It was used for both boys and girls up until the 20th century, when it moved over to exclusively feminine usage, thanks to the bestselling epic historical novel and subsequent film adaptation Gone With the Wind (1936) featuring the main character Scarlett O'Hara.

A breakdown of the number of registrations in England and Wales for Scarlett and Scarlet per decade are as follows:

The impact of the 1939 film adaptation of Gone With the Wind is marked, given that there were no registrations for the name Scarlet/t from 1909 until the 1941. The shift in favoured spelling of Scarlet to Scarlett is also indicative.

What is interesting, however, is the low numbers that Scarlett still had, given the success of the novel and film. Other names from the novel such as Melanie and Ashley would eventually break into the top 100 in England and Wales once they were given a boost from the film, but Scarlett never reached similar heights.

Tellingly, neither did the name of principle male character Rhett Butler (the usage of Rhett was kick-started by the movie, but remained fairly uncommon like Scarlett). I suspect that the both names were so tied to the characters that it gave many parents pause.

Since the turn of the 21st century however, Scarlett has changed course, progressively steaming up the rankings to its current place in the top 20. This change in fortune, however, is not thanks to Ms O'Hara, but instead to Hollywood actress Scarlett Johansson (though it is rumoured that Johansson was named after Scarlett O'Hara so perhaps she was an influence in a more tenuous way).

Click to enlarge

In 1996, Scarlett ranked #216 (195 births) in England and Wales. It rose gradually, reaching #126 (403 births) in 2003, but took a marked leap the following year when it entered the top 100 at #68 (774 births) in 2004.

2003 was the year that Scarlett Johansson starred in both Lost in Translation (for which she won a BAFTA) and Girl with a Pearl Earring. Both brought her worldwide fame and recognition.

Scarlett continued to rise afterwards. It ranked #37 in 2008, #24 in 2010 and reached the top 20 at #17 (2643 births) in 2013.

In 2015, Scarlett ranked #16 with 2285 births in England and Wales. It is most popular in the North of England, as regionally it ranked #10 in the North West and #11 in the North East.

Comments

Scarlett is now considered to be a nature name, tied to the deep red colour scarlet. However, as a given name, Scarlett was originally an adoption of the surname Scarlet/Scarlett.

The surname derives from the Old French escarlate "scarlet" referring to a rich cloth, often bright red in colour. The cloth was certainly in use from the late 12th century, which is when the surname is first dated from, and most likely denoted a person who was a dealer in this particular cloth.

By the 14th century, the 'scarlet' cloth had given its name to the colour scarlet.

Usage:

Scarlett's use as a given name from the 17th century. For the most part it was used as a middle name, where a family surname was used, though there are some cases where this family surname was used as a first name.

It was uncommon, however, and mostly masculine in use. The 1841 UK census lists 15 men named Scarlet/t (mostly in the East of England) and 1 woman. By 1861, there were 9 men listed with Scarlet/t as a first name and 1 woman.

Data from The Surname Atlas. Click to enlarge.

Data from the 1881 census shows a clear correlation between the areas where the surnames Scarlet and Scarlett were most common and those where the Scarlet(t) was used as a first or middle name.

It was used for both boys and girls up until the 20th century, when it moved over to exclusively feminine usage, thanks to the bestselling epic historical novel and subsequent film adaptation Gone With the Wind (1936) featuring the main character Scarlett O'Hara.

A breakdown of the number of registrations in England and Wales for Scarlett and Scarlet per decade are as follows:

The impact of the 1939 film adaptation of Gone With the Wind is marked, given that there were no registrations for the name Scarlet/t from 1909 until the 1941. The shift in favoured spelling of Scarlet to Scarlett is also indicative.

What is interesting, however, is the low numbers that Scarlett still had, given the success of the novel and film. Other names from the novel such as Melanie and Ashley would eventually break into the top 100 in England and Wales once they were given a boost from the film, but Scarlett never reached similar heights.

Tellingly, neither did the name of principle male character Rhett Butler (the usage of Rhett was kick-started by the movie, but remained fairly uncommon like Scarlett). I suspect that the both names were so tied to the characters that it gave many parents pause.

Since the turn of the 21st century however, Scarlett has changed course, progressively steaming up the rankings to its current place in the top 20. This change in fortune, however, is not thanks to Ms O'Hara, but instead to Hollywood actress Scarlett Johansson (though it is rumoured that Johansson was named after Scarlett O'Hara so perhaps she was an influence in a more tenuous way).

Click to enlarge

In 1996, Scarlett ranked #216 (195 births) in England and Wales. It rose gradually, reaching #126 (403 births) in 2003, but took a marked leap the following year when it entered the top 100 at #68 (774 births) in 2004.

2003 was the year that Scarlett Johansson starred in both Lost in Translation (for which she won a BAFTA) and Girl with a Pearl Earring. Both brought her worldwide fame and recognition.

Scarlett continued to rise afterwards. It ranked #37 in 2008, #24 in 2010 and reached the top 20 at #17 (2643 births) in 2013.

In 2015, Scarlett ranked #16 with 2285 births in England and Wales. It is most popular in the North of England, as regionally it ranked #10 in the North West and #11 in the North East.